Moon and Sun with Stars
by Shadowsliving
Summary: Please R&R    -this is more effective then writing a summery aparently
1. Goodbye

Sun and moon mikos are the most powerful mikos in history. Sun mikos exist 1 in 100, but moon mikos only come around in 100 years.

In Japan an old man cast rose petals into a stone basin at the top of a temple. A quick shadowy figure dashed towards him before stopping when the old man stood up and cast the petals again, then came closer until he was right behind him.

"How do the petals fall?" a deep rumbling voice asked the old man who sighed and stood up.

"They tell of a new moon miko, one will surpass all others and turn this place into that of old."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, Myoga, that we will have a miko who can turn this place right again. But we have to get to her first, it also says that her guide will be 'one who is not'." The old man said before turning to face the shadowy figure. His long dark brown hair looked like smooth mud in the dark moonlight, but it did not draw attention to his bright almond eyes.

"Master Naru, what can that possibly mean? 'One who is not'? Does her Starguide exist or not?" Myoga asked with a swish of his wolf like tail, tension visible in every part of his 9 foot slim muscular build.

"He must exist, but I do not understand the petals, maybe they will become clearer with time." The old man sighed.

14 years later

"Come on Kagome!" A young woman, Kikyo, called to her 14 year old cousin. They looked like twins except for the sun on the elders forehead that marked her a sun miko. Both have dark black hair with brown almond shaped eyes and pink full lips. Pale skin complemented by the suns early morning rays were flushed as the two ran.

"Wait for a second, then let me pass you!" Kagome said as she sped up and by her older cousin with a smile.

"Hey! Don't you want me to tell you about Midori?" Kikyo said with a pout as they slowed down in a beautiful meadow.

"Yes! Of course I do!" Kagome said with her usual excitement.

"Midori was a great Moon Priestess from very long ago." Kikyo started as they sat down. "When she was a child darkness and a strange evil man ruled. When she turned 16 a moon appeared on her neck instead of a sun. Everyone was astonished. They banished her because they had forgotten the moon's mark. She ran until she could run no more. Then she collapsed. A strange man found her. His hair was a strange silver of an old man, yet he looked to be only 18, his eyes were chocolate brown and he towered above her a 9 feet tall. But the strangest thing was that his ear were that of a dogs or wolves and a wolf tail reached to his calves, also sliver. Fangs and claws made him seem fearsome, but the look in his eyes gentled the fear that she felt when she awoke. Midori stayed with him and learned. Some say that he carried her mark and served her as if he was a slave, but we may never know. The secrets of the Sun and Moon mikos are guarded well and kept as if they could destroy those who would find out if they are not any kind of miko." Kikyo finished.

"Do you have to leave?" Kagome asked Kikyo as she picked a flower.

"Yes, you might to when you turn 16 and have a Sun mark."

"What if I have a moon mark?"

"Then your power will be sought out and others will try to use it for their own gain."


	2. Whipped

Inuyasha winced slightly as the whip came down on his back again. '275' he mentality counted as the strong man pulled back the whip again. He stood unable to feel his back, he wondered suddenly if his father endured this kind of abuse from others when he had been captured.

"That is enough for today." A cold smooth voice said, Inuyasha shivered but it had nothing to do with the chill of his cell or the pain of the welts on his back. "Are you ready to be a good little Starguide? Or do you need more time down here with the rats and my little friends?" he finished with a nasty smile on his pale face. Long wavy black hair and cruel brown eyes with purple outlining them is the face that Inuyasha had come to despise with his whole being. Inuyasha growled and struggled against the chains that bit into his bare flesh, but he couldn't get free. If he was allowed to eat regularly then it wouldn't be a problem. "I guess not yet." The man said before leaving with the man that had whipped him. He had been brought here two years ago when a new sun priestess had come. He didn't want to relive the memory, but it left him no choice.

_Growling and thrashing his long wolf tail Inuyasha was dragged with the help of many others to a spot close to the new priestess. She spoke softly to him and he looked at her with fear, pain, and defiance written in them. She jumped when a man, the Lord that ruled over the Sun Priestesses came out._

"_A new priestess and guide. Myoga, show her to her room and let me know of any newly broken." A tall Starguide with long black hair came forward and guided her into the lower building to the east. As soon as she was gone Inuyasha renewed his struggles to break away and take flight to the familiar and comforting forest._

"_Don't struggle, it's pointless. He will just break you." A young guide (Starguide) said as he was led past him, but only other Starguides heard his warning and those who did didn't show any sign that they had. Gasping Inuyasha truly started to panic as he ignored the advice. First they trap him and tie him up, second they drag him here from his home, and third they give him to a person?_

After that they had taken him to this cell and tried to get him to eat something that smelled strange. Inuyasha bit the man as he tried to force his mouth open. Another man behind him had knocked him out, Inuyasha didn't know what had happened afterwards but herd the man he had bitten was dead. When he had woken up his back was on fire and his arms and legs tied so that he could not struggle. The Lord of this place hated him because of his defiance so therefore Inuyasha bore the brunt of his anger. Someone came in, Inuyasha lifted his head to find Myoga's face inches from his own.

"Inuyasha, what are you?" he said with a strange intensity. Maybe he's gone mad, Inuyasha thought before answering.

"I'm a Halfling." He croaked before coughing with a force that alarmed the Starguide that beheld the shaking limbs.

"'One who is not'" Myoga quoted with a sudden thought before turning and looking at a shadow behind him.

"I will talk to the Lord, you take care of him." An old man said before leaving with a swish of his worn black cloak.

"What are you two doing?" Inuyasha asked as a cloud of darkness threatened to overcome him.

"You are not a full blooded Starguide so you the one that we spent 16 years looking for and_**must**_ not die." Myoga hissed as he started to undo the chains that bound the young Halfling. Inuyasha collapsed as the chains fell away, they truly had been the only thing holding him up. Myoga caught him and hoisted him onto his shoulder. In an instant they were gone just as two guards came into the cell to find no one. The Lord came around the corner and saw no one.

"NO!" He screamed into the night as he dashed from the cell. Master Naru had told him that he was taking a Starguide so he could prepare him for his destiny. The Lord could not oppose his father, Naru, so he allowed him to leave but as soon as he was out of sight called two guards. His worst fears were confirmed, the silver haired one was gone. He did not know why this one sent fear through him or why it was this one his father had chosen but it did not sit well with him.

"Lord Naroku, what should we do? A young miko is coming tomorrow and your father has requested that she come to him as soon as possible." The guard to his left asked.

"We do nothing." He answered them. "We do nothing."

Meanwhile

Myoga carefully laid Inuyasha on his stomach before looking at his bare back. The only thing that Inuyasha had on was some ragged pants with lots of holes in them so it was easy to see what had been done to him. Myoga growled at the sight of his scarred and raw back.

"Is it that bad?" Naru asked as he brought a herbal mixture over along with a bowl of water and a clean cloth to help him.

"Worse than bad, this is absolutely horrible." His Starguide said as Naru got a good look at the damage.

"That is bad." Naru agreed. The whip had cut through muscle and visibly cracked some of Inuyasha's ribs. The man who had whipped him had avoided his spine though so that he wouldn't feel Lord Naroku's wrath.

"Will he heal quickly enough?" Myoga asked; worry clear in his strong deep voice as Naru started to tend to the youngsters wounds.

"Maybe." His master said before pressing the wet cloth to his patients shoulder thanking kami that he wasn't awake. "Make some broth for him, but make sure that there is something to dull the pain in it though, this will be painful." Myoga nodded before leaping out of a window to get some of the things he required. Naru heard someone knock a few minutes later as he finished cleaning the wound on Inuyasha's back and shoulders. "Who knocks at my door?" he asked looking up from his work with annoyance.

"The sun miko Kikyo and my Starguide Koga." A woman said, Naru smiled and bid her to enter if it was only her and her guide. A young woman with long black hair entered along with her Starguide. Like all Starguides he has wolf ears perched on top of his head and a long wolf tail that goes to mid-calf. His hair is long brown and pulled back into a pony tail. Ears and tail are also brown and sleek so Naru could tell he is in good health. Strong and lean Koga looked like a runner and was very quick but also stronger than he looks.

"What brings you here?" he asked gently as he spread the herbs on Inuyasha's back.

"No one has taught me anything, can you give me a simple review instead of a pointless lesson?" she asked shyly.

"Of course, now let's see." He said pausing to organize his thoughts then continued with his work. "Sun and Moon mikos bond with a Starguide or guide which protects and teaches them. They also increase their mikos power. No one knows how the first bonding occurred but now it is seen as an essential part of being a powerful miko. The stronger the bond the more powerful they are alone and together. A Sun miko occurs when the Sun is low or high in the sky but a Moon miko only occurs when an eclipse happens. Moon mikos are not spoken of very often so I will tell you more than most others know about the subject."

"Thank you Master Naru." She said and sat down with her Starguide just behind her.

"Your Welcome Kikyo, now, a Moon mikos power comes from deep inside of her. It comes from a Moonstone just behind their heart that beats in rhythm with the heart. When they turn 16 they will show a Sun mark to protect themselves-"

"-don't they have a moon mark? That's what I was told and what I told my little cousin."

"No and don't interrupt me, it's very rude. Now as I was saying they show a Sun mark until they bond. After they bond the Moon mikos Sun mark will fade within a month and her moon mark will appear on her neck. What truly makes them more powerful than you or I is the fact that they were born on a day of true power. The eclipse. The power of both Sun and Moon then mark the child at birth and may emerge at any time in their life if they feel threatened making them one of the most powerful Sun mikos until they bond and surpassing them after." He was quiet then and started to bind the Starguides back and chest.

"Who is this Starguide, he must be in a lot of pain. Who did he fight?" Kikyo asked with a slight feeling that the answer would not be to her liking. It wasn't.

"He is unbonded, therefore Lord Naroku had someone beat him for I'm guessing a little over a year otherwise he must be stronger then others his age." Naru answered gravely. Kikyo took in his condition fully for the first time. Inuyasha's ribs jutted out sharply and he seemed to thin to be alive, his breathing is slightly ragged and his face slightly pinched in pain. She could tell by a few clean strands that his hair is silver but it looks black and his skin a light golden tan, looks dark. Koga silently brushed his hand over the younger Starguides hair before pulling back and taking his only other pair of pants and shirt he gave them to Naru. "Thank you Koga. I wish that your spirit will heal quickly." Koga blinked. He had been brash, and cocky not so long ago and would often talk back to anyone near him. Now you were lucky to get him to say a word if not five. Looking down he hunched over slightly before talking.

"Thank you Master Naru." He said quietly, his voice soft and uncertain. Kikyo looked at her guide with sad eyes before leaning against him. A small smile graced Kogas lips as he fondly looked at the miko he was bond to and who had nursed him when he had been on the brink of death.


	3. Kagome

Kagome was nervous. She didn't know what to do as she stood in front of the imposing figure of Lord Naroku; she didn't know what he was waiting for or what was bothering him and was to afraid to speak. Finally a man, or was he a man, walked briskly till he stood in front of her. He isn't human, she thought with surprise, but he doesn't seem like a demon is he a Starguide?

"Master Naru wishes for you to grace his presence." He said, to her surprise it's sound relaxed her a little. He turned and without waiting for the Lords consent started to walk away. Glancing at the lord she found that he was simply watching her with a gaze that caused her to shiver. Turning back to the inhuman man she dashed to keep up with him. They passed several mikos with other inhuman men and women with them walking through other corridors and those that were in their way quickly moved as her guide turned to a stairway that curved out of view. She and her guide walked all 100 stairs to the top were a door stood. Kagome was now quite tired and wanted to ask were they were going when he knocked on the door.

"Come in if you are my guide and friend." An old man said before her guide opened the door and firmly pushed her inside. An old man sat in a chair by a futon that someone was lying on with blankets covering most of their body. She felt her gaze drawn to the still figure for reasons that she did not know but as the strange man beside her spoke she tried to pay attention to them.

"Is she the one?" he asked the old man.

"Yes Myoga, she is the one we have been looking for." The old man replied motioning for her to sit on the floor near him. "What is your name child?" he asked kindly.

"Kagome." She answered before noticing that another inhuman man sat guarding someone else that slept on a mat in the corner.

"I see that you have noticed that Koga and Myoga are not human or demon." The old man said, she nodded. "They are Starguides. I am being rude though. My name is Naru." Kagome sat in silence, her eyes wandering to the figure by them. "I see that you are wondering about our young Starguide here, he is injured but will heal. Would you like to help tend him?" Naru asked sensing the discomfort of the young miko in front of him. She seemed shy as well; he guessed that on her way here her guards had scared her or something. He was correct. The guards that had escorted her had told tales of unbelievable cruelty and looked at her figure strongly. A week of this had her on her nerves end. Her nature was also shy until you got to know her, but it was also kind and caring.

"Koga, stop giving the young girl the look." Myoga said exasperated as Koga turned his gaze to the floor without a sound.

"Pull back the sheet carefully, yes that's it. Now put your arm around until it supports his chest and roll him over onto you. Don't worry, he's fine you won't hurt him." Naru said as he coaxed her to sit on the edge of the bed, pull back the covers, and then turn him over onto her. She gasped and frowned at the sight of white bandages on his dirty skin.

"Shouldn't he take a bath?" she asked quietly as Naru looked critically at the man in her arms.

"He hasn't woken up and we were lucky not to lose him." Naru said as he picked up the mans' clawed hand and looked at it critically.

"Things aren't the way you think they are around here." Myoga said gently to Kagome. "This young one was whipped and treated very badly. But he isn't the first nor will he be the last. New Starguides are beaten until their spirit is broken. This one's spirit may still be intact but we could not let him die."

"Now lay him down on his stomach." Naru ordered, Kagome did as he said. Brushing away a piece of hair from his worn and bruised face she paused as his eyes flickered open.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly when his gaze focused on her. He started when his eyes found hers. Her chocolate brown eyes seemed to look deep into his wounded soul and pin him there, but they held fear. When she asked again he blinked his amber eyes and took a deeper breath.

"I-I think so." He answered, but remained wary.

"Good to see you're awake." Myoga's voice seemed to bellow to Inuyasha's sensitive ears.

"Whisper please, Myoga, let us leave these two and see if my broth is ready yet." Naru said softly. Bowing to Naru he and his master both left the room to the trust of a watchful Koga.

"Are you okay?" Koga asked, his voice so quiet that Kagome almost thought that his voice had been a gentle breeze. Inuyasha didn't take his eyes off of the closest threat to him, Kagome when he answered.

"I will be." He answered as Kagome backed off to sit in a chair farther away from him.

"Mistress speaks highly of you Kagome." Koga quietly said, feeling oddly comfortable in her presence.

"'Mistress'?" Kagome questioned, giving him most of her attention.

"Mistress Kikyo." Koga answered, feeling himself warm to her even though he had been in her company for less than half an hour.

"My cousin Kikyo, were is she?" Kagome asked with enthusiasm.

"Right here Kags." A familiar voice said as the person behind Koga sat up then yawned.

"Kikyo, what happened? I want to know everything." Her cousin said as Kikyo smiled softly and stood up before walking over to sit opposite Kagome.

"When I first arrived so did he." She started, glancing at Inuyasha's wary and weary frame. "I was guided to my room by Myoga, Lord Naru's Starguide and most trusted friend. After I had settled in or after I was completely comfortable there I was lead down to the dungeons. Lord Naroku told me to pick any Starguide that I wanted. I could hardly move though as I saw what they were put through. There are only about ten Sun mikos total and there were around fifty Starguides. One guard pushed me and I started to move around, looking at them as if they were animals or slaves for sale. It was awful Kagome; I hope that you never have to go through that. Your heart would brake in half." Koga put an arm around Kikyo and pulled her shivering frame close as she continued. "Some of them were in better condition then the others, but all looked at me with hope in their eyes, but, they just didn't feel right. You may not know this Kagome, but a Sun or Moon miko can feel their Starguide. They need that one and only that one, but if the Starguide or miko dies then the remaining one may bond again. Only mikos do though, Starguides will not unless they feel prompted to by their dead bondsmate. I-I went to a cell were Koga lay dying, but even though the guard pushed me I could not leave Kags. I felt that he needed me. Lord Naroku laughed and told the guard to open the door saying that only then would I leave 'that worthless piece of vermin', his exact words, to die in peace. I went in and after I saw him, it's hard to explain, but I felt right inside. Then Naru came and with Myoga's help I took him up here. They were busy most of the time, but with their help I was able to save Koga's life. The Lord wasn't very happy but we were able to stay together." Kagome was silent for a moment; her head had been down since she had seen Koga pull Kikyo to him with such tenderness that she could not look at them. Koga whispered something into Kikyo's ear and nodding they left. Inuyasha watched Kagome, her shoulders shook slightly so he thought she was laughing at their pain. He took a deep breathe to yell at her when the strong smell of salt hit his nose. Exhaling he noticed that she was crying, but went to no one for comfort. Closing his eyes he wondered about something he had heard Kikyo say.

"_Kagome doesn't like being a burden and if you try to comfort her she will just close off her emotions until she is alone and give you a big smile. I have never met someone who was able to comfort her after her father and brothers deaths. We don't know what happened and Kagome is usually to upset to tell us anything about it but now she is terrified of Starguides until they can convince her that they are harmless. Even after they have her trust she flinched whenever two that used to make rounds to our village came to close to her."_

Inuyasha opened his mouth then closed it and growled mentally at himself, why did he feel like it was his job to comfort the crying Sun priestess? He could see the mark of the sun clearly on her forehead but it just didn't seem right to him. Pushing that thought and his silly emotions aside he put up a wall to shield him from her emotional cries. A large sob stopped that and swept away the wall as if it was a blade of grass in a river. Mentally hitting himself he hoped that he could stop her from crying as he pulled back the covers and forced his legs over the side of the futon. He panted silently and cursed his weakness. Pushing himself up he lowed himself to the floor and looked at Kagome. She sobbed while he sat quietly for a long time.

Longer chapter then my other one but let me know what you think of my story :D!


	4. Run

Thanks for reviewing hope you like this story as it continues.

Wondering if he was mentally sound he pulled himself forward until he was directly in front of Kagome. Her sobs grew as he leaned forward but stopped with a gasp as she felt two fragile arms surround her. Trembling she allowed Inuyasha to hold her. Soon, however, she sighed then leaned into him. Lost at what to do next he just pulled her closer to him. Soon her breathe evened out into what he remembered as a deep sleep pattern. A few minutes later Inuyasha's strength gave out and he fell over onto his side with Kagome very close to him, but still asleep. Seeing her so close to him caused a blush to creep up his neck before her breathe coaxed him to relax, and five minutes later, to fall asleep.

Myoga listened intently from the back room with the rest waiting to see what he knew.

"Well?" Naru asked anxiously as he rubbed his hands together.

"He's moving. Feet on floor, now he's on the floor. Moving towards her, she's still crying. Contact. She gasps, and…" he strained his ears for the room which they had been left in was very sound and spy proof.

"Well?" Kikyo asked unsure whether or not she wanted to know the answer.

"Not crying, not movement. Going to sleep, he's unsure." Myoga said as he pulled away from the door with a small smile.

"Why do you insist that she must be protected?" Kikyo asked turning to the old man sitting near her feet as she sat down leaving the two Starguides standing.

"The roses have spoken of her." He said as if that was not unusual. Kagome and Koga looked and are completely lost. "Silver roses have power to predict were a Sun or Moon miko will appear. Kagome was born during an eclipse, was she not?"

"Yes, but how will it work if she's terrified of Starguides?"

"She and the young one in there will help each other." Myoga said patiently.

"Come; let us see if they are well." Naru interrupted Kikyo when she tried to speak; Koga tilted his head foreword slightly to show his displeasure. Myoga shared a look with him and the edge of his lip twitched in the effort not to smile. Opening the door they saw that Inuyasha has his arms around Kagome who snuggled into his chest when the door opened. Myoga held in the deep peals of laughter that threatened to wake the two tired young teenagers as Kikyo and Koga looked at them with shock written all over their faces. "I win." Naru whispered as he took a blanket and laid it gently over the two.

"Do they know what this can do?" Kikyo asked sharply when he left them alone.

"She is not sure enough to mark him." Myoga said patiently when Koga cast a questioning glance at him. Sighing Naru looked at them with a thoughtful glance.

"Is she really terrified of Starguides?" he asked Kikyo.

"Terrified doesn't even cover it at times." Kikyo replied sadly, Koga walked till he was by the two then pursed his lips. Naru looked at him; he was looking at Kagome with a concerned expression. "I'm sure that she will get over her fear." Kikyo told him while he put Inuyasha on his futon and Kikyo placed Kagome on her futon. "Someday." Only Koga heard her last word before they went to bed.

"Are you _sure_ that she's the moon miko?" Myoga asked after pacing in his masters room for over an hour as the old man cast the rose petals.

"The rose has never lied and it tells her to be one that will surpass all others. It also gives us a riddle though." Naru said as he studied the petals were they lay.

"What is the riddle?" Myoga asked impatiently as the well worn pace trial became more visible to all.

""She who holds the dearest fate

must needs be a stronger state

loves full bloom will set all free

from lives untold truth will spring

one that fate has blessed with stone

find that which love has lost

for if not found then all is lost.'"

Myoga paused then sat down heavily. "How can that make any sense now? The rose can not seem to understand that we need answers right now not in five days."

"We may not have five days but we can write it down and give it to them. I will also write down the other riddle the rose says is important. They will escape as soon as I have done so."

"They must leave? Now?" Myoga paused then looked deep into his masters' eyes after he was done writing down the riddle. "I will not let you down." He promised as his master went to bed as if this was of no importance to him or the fate of the world. Naru lay in bed and only then did he frown and let a tear fall down his cheek as he reviewed his and his bondsmate's fate.

"Get up, now." Myoga whispered urgently to the bonded pair and the unbound one as well.

"What's going on?" Kikyo asked as Koga helped Inuyasha to his feet and supported him.

"We have to leave, tonight." He replied as he packed two satchels full with food, medicine and bandages, herbs, two knives each, and blankets.

"Why, he can hardly even stand." Kagome said as she looked at Inuyasha who was only still standing because of Koga.

"Because the best time to leave is tonight." Myoga replied as he gave the two mikos the bags and cloaks.

"Then let me grab my extra stuff that I keep for nights like this." Kikyo said before grabbing another bag and putting it on her shoulder along with her bow and arrows.

"We must leave now." Hissed Myoga as he herded them out through a secret passageway. (This opened when he pulled a string in the corner of the eastern wall.) Running, and stumbling for a pain wracked hanyo, through the dark and narrow hall they soon found themselves in the courtyard when someone rang the alarm bell.

"All guards to the courtyard!" the man cried out before they could reach the gate. It didn't matter, though, as the five ran quickly through them. Archers fired arrows into the night in an attempt to stop them, but missed all but one. That one gave no indication that he had been hit as they ran.

"Go, go we must go." Myoga cried as they darted through the forest. Soon, however, he himself began to slow down.

"Myoga, we can not stop yet!" Kikyo cried as she slowed down to his pace and saw, to her horror an arrow protruding from his back. Holding back sobs she placed one of his arms around her shoulders and helped him keep up with the rest of the group. Soon they came to a river which they all ran through and along until they reached a waterfall.

"We're stuck!" Kagome cried as the shouts of the guards came closer to them, they were looking at a wall of water and stone with a lake before them.

"Go-go through…the waterfall." Myoga gasped as the water around him turned scarlet from his blood. Hoping that he wasn't to badly injured by this Kikyo and Myoga walked through the waterfall quickly followed by Koga and Inuyasha.

"Were did they go?" bellowed the lead guard as they found themselves were the five escapees had just been standing a minute ago.


	5. Death

Laying Myoga down on his side Kikyo tore through the thin fabric and gasped at the sight. An arrow head came from were his left lung was, the arrow had gone straight through his back and chest along with two others through his side and abdomen.

"Stay with me Myoga, don't die on me." Kikyo said as she pulled the arrows out and then pressed his own shirt to try to stop the flow of blood. Koga took his and Inuyasha's shirts off and laid them on the floor to dry, if they could seeing as the group was hiding behind a waterfall. After he was sure that the injured hanyo was as comfortable as he could be Koga went over to his distressed bondsmate. Myoga breathed shallowly and coughed blood up from his collapsed lung that steadily bled more and more of his blood out of the deadly wounds. A younger Starguide would survive and the lung as well as the rest of their body would repair itself, but Myoga was no longer young and strong. At nearly 20,000 years old he was not able to heal from this injury after running for so long and hard.

"Don't worry Kikyo, you will be fine." He breathed as he found it hard to stay awake.

"No, I need you." She sobbed; a tear landing in the puddle of scarlet red blood that surrounded his torso.

"Naru…left a clue about the future…from the undying…silver rose…that can not lie…it is in your bag along with another riddle…this one…tells of…the moon…miko…*cough*…that will…save all… *gasp*…from a fate…worse then…death…do…not worry… little one…I will…be with…my mate…and my children…and…*heave*…with…*heave, gasp*…Naru…" he said, his last word being his bondsmate who lay dead in his bed at that very moment. The shuttering strained breathing of their friend stopped and his head rolled as calm stole upon his face.

"Oh, Koga." Kikyo said as her cousin hugged her and held her close. "He was always there for me, and any other person who needed his help. Oh, Kagome, what they done…" Koga watched his mistress and Kagome comfort each other, the first time in several years that she had allowed someone to do so, and sat watching the guards looking around in vain for them. Soon the guards were gone and both Kikyo and Kagome only hugged the other for warmth. The water had been cold but until now none of them had noticed. Inuyasha and Koga were better off, but Inuyasha was week and thin so the cold water and wet clothing quickly had him shivering too. Looking in the bag Koga noticed that a Shirr tree branch lay at the bottom of one of the bags. Shirr trees burn warm and with no smoke. Smiling slightly he took it out and placed it on a dryer place were they could all gather around it. Using the edge of the knife and stone near him he soon had a warm fire going. Kikyo and Kagome gratefully came to the fire as Koga went over and picked up an exhausted Inuyasha before laying him gently by the fire.

"So, what is your name?" Kagome asked shyly as Koga tucked a blanket around his 'brother' (Starguides may refer to any other Starguide as their brother or sister even though they are not even closely related).

"We don't usually tell someone our true name until we have bonded." Koga said when Inuyasha opened his mouth.

"You can call me Inu though." Inuyasha said as he felt warmth seep into his thin body. Kikyo brought her bag to Inuyasha's side before she started to look around inside it for something. Kagome came over as well, but stayed a few feet away. "What are you going to do?" he asked reluctantly as Koga gave him a sympathetic look.

"Nothing right now, Kagome, will you make something for us to eat? I should have something in my other bag." Kagome soon had a nice soup simmering over the fire as Kikyo muttered to herself. Inu's mouth watered as she spooned it into four bowls, but looked at her curiously when she frowned.

"There are only four bowls." She said, Kikyo froze then took a deep breathe.

"Myoga said that Naru left us something to guide and help us, he must have known that he would die." She took out a herb and shielded the bowls from Inuyasha's view. Not looking at him she gave him a steaming bowl. Without regard to what might be in it he bolted it down, only when the bowl was empty did he think of Kikyo's strange behavior. Then his head hit the ground as the herb took effect and knocked him out.

"What did you do that for?" Kagome asked when Kikyo pushed Inuyasha onto his back.

"Naroku places small jewels inside every Starguide when they are there for a month. Right here." She replied pointing to Inuyasha's neck, arm, leg, and abdomen. Kagome blanched as Kikyo took out a knife and a silk tie.

"You have to cut it out?" She gasped as Kikyo unsheathed the dagger.

"No, you need to. Koga and I will make sure that he doesn't move, come to, or hurt himself. You need to take them out." Kikyo tied the silk tie around Inu's eyes before making sure that he was secure then handed Kagome the dagger. With trembling hands Kagome took the dagger.

"What will happen if I don't take them out or it I miss?" she asked and looked at the small lump in his arm.

"We have to because otherwise Naroku will track us down. And you will have to try again until we get them out." Kikyo said calmly. Kagome took a deep breathe and hoped that she could do this. Closing her eyes Kagome felt that she could do this. She opened her eyes and placed a hand on his arm. A small slit in his skin and a small jewel that glowed red before vanishing rolled out. The cut didn't bleed much so she felt more confident as she cut a send slit leg, the same thing happened. Then she cut a slightly larger slit in his abdomen with the jewel vanishing. Taking a deep breathe she looked at Inuyasha's neck. It didn't look very safe to cut, even if the cut didn't hurt him. Hoping for the best she cut his neck and did not hurt him further. The cuts quickly healed and Inuyasha seemed to be just as he had before. Kikyo untied the silk tie and took a deep breathe before letting it out again. "Kagome."

"Yes?" Kagome answered as she gave Koga the dagger, Inu blinked his eyes and was about to demand why that was necessary when Kikyo asked Kagome a question that he wanted to know the answer to.

"Kagome, why are you afraid of Starguides?" Kagome paused as she warmed her hands by the fire; everyone held their breath to see if she would answer them.

"My," she paused and kept her eyes in the fire, "father and brother, didn't die natural deaths. They were killed by some of Narokus guards, I recognized their uniforms. I couldn't escape and even though I wanted to close my eyes I couldn't. I watched dad and Sota be ripped to shreds by Starguides, and then they ate them. Dad had hid me in a safe place earlier and told me to stay there. Then they came and asked for the Moonstone, but dad said that it had been burned with the last Moon miko of our family and it no longer existed. One of the guards signaled something to the five mikos that had accompanied them and they tore Sota into pieces. Then they said that if he didn't want to suffer the same fate then he had better tell them were it is. But-but he couldn't and so, they killed him and left soon after." She finished. Inuyasha closed his eyes and wondered what it would have been like to see his parents torn to pieces and eaten because someone wanted something that no longer existed. His father and mother had been killed but one of the pack members had taken him away and reared him as her own. He had learned soon afterwards how to defend himself and how to survive alone. Koga lay down farther away from the fire to give Kagome some space and Kikyo lay near him but not with him. Opening his eyes he sat up and wondered if she could be his Miko? But then he mentally smacked himself and told himself that what Kagome needed was someone sensitive and loyal. He's loyal, but not very sensitive. Finding himself thinking back to when he had fantasized having a bondsmate as a cub he decided that she needed to be comforted whether by him or another. Hoping that he had the strength to move over to her he sat up and groaned. Kagome looked at him with fear in her eyes then guilt. She quickly stood then walked over to him and laid him on his belly before removing the soaked bandages. Taking a dry towel she started to dry his back, shoulders, arms, and whatever else she could reach while he lay on his stomach.

"I'm sorry, about your father and brother." He said softly while she tended his injuries.

"It's okay, I guess I shouldn't be scared of you since your hurt but I still remember the screams of my brother as they torn him apart."

"If you want to, we could heal each other." Inu murmured. Kagome smiled.

"I would like that." She said before bandaging his back. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"My leg and foot hurt." Inu said as he decided to trust her, she scooted over and picked up his left leg. "The other one." He corrected her then took a deep breathe as she picked up his other leg. Kagome winced as she saw the raw and scraped skin.

"Ouch, is that from running?" she asked before drying it and putting a funny smelling silk on it.

"Yah, I couldn't keep up with Koga very easily so I stumbled through a thorn bush. What does that silk do?"

"It numbs it a little so I can take out the thorns without hurting you." She said removing the silk and looking at the red skin. Kagome felt herself warming up to Inu even though he seemed to be scarred and wounded in his soul. Pulling out the thorns from his swollen skin she asked him some questions.

"What is your favorite color?"

"Red, yours?"

"Amber." She found herself saying without a second though. "But I also like blue."

"Ok, my turn. Do you like dawn or dusk the best?"

"Dawn, it is a new day but I like dusk as well since I can see it with a clear mind."

"I like both as well."

"Do you have any family?"

"A brother but he hates my guts and often tries to kill me." Kagome thought that he seemed not to care and that, is very strange.

"I have a mother and Kikyo, my cousin."


	6. Pack

/ was helpful when I wanted to find awesome names!

"What Moon mikos are you descended from?" Inu asked as Kagome finished taking out the thorns.

"Chinatsu, Honoka, Kamiko, Tamiko, Madoka, Sakurako, Mayu, Miu, Nanami, and Kaede. Kaede had the jewel burned with her body so that it would not cause anymore harm to others. This Moonstone was used to increase a Moon mikos power or to grant wishes. But because so many people wanted it for evil purposes she protected it and in the end it cost her, her life. She had her younger sister burn it with her body so that it would do no more harm but it seems that someone thinks it still exists." They were both quiet for a moment before Kagome took a salve and smeared it on his leg. Soon she had it bandaged then set it down carefully. She looked at Inu's face to find that he is sleeping. To her surprise he looked just as calm then as he had when she had been tending his leg. Smiling to herself she laid down a short distance away and fell asleep. A pack of unbonded Starguides stood outside the cave entrance and watched the weary group sleep.

"What should we do Daiki?" one asked watching Kagome hungrily.

"Nothing right now but assure that they get a good night sleep." Daiki answered his second in command and the rest of his pack. Sighing he made himself comfortable and kept his eyes partially open. His pack was not the best and had already let his dear friend be captured and Daiki did not want anyone else to share his fate. Dawn came and Koga woke first only to find that they were surrounded by wild Starguides. He could tell which one is the alpha of the pack, a light brown male with no bondsmate. He appeared to be sleeping entirely but having pulled that trick many times before Koga knew that he was slightly awake and a pebble could wake him. Koga did not recognize any of the pack and did not know why they were here, but looking at Kagome he figured that an unbound miko must look enticing. He watched them and in a few minutes all eyes were on him. Every single one in perfect condition or near it, the group was made up of seven other males excluding the alpha and four females. Then the alpha woke up. Daiki looked down at who they were guarding that night to see one of the Starguides awake. He approached him before separating himself from the group by going through the waterfall.

"You sure are bold this morning." A sleepy voice whispered, Daiki froze then turned to find Inuyasha looking at him.

"Inu, you're still alive, but how?" Daiki asked his long lost friend before sitting by him.

"I don't know really, but it's good to see you Dai. These are my good friends and I don't think that they would like finding you've invited yourself in here."

"That can change, but look at you. You're so thin and weak, what happened?" Inu then related all that had occurred from when he had been captured to the present time.

"Who are you?" Koga then asked, Daiki looked at him then remembered that he had not told him any of their names.

"I'm Daiki, and those are (boy names first then girls) Haruki, Junichi, Kazuhiko and Kazrhiro, Mamoru, Masayuki, Ryota (the boys), Sayuri, Takara, Yasuko, and Ayaka."

"How do you two know each other?" Koga was slightly less wary, but didn't know if he could trust Daiki yet.

"Inu was part of my pack."

"I thought you were a loner."

"No," Inu replied to Koga's accusing stare, "I was with this pack until I went off for a breath of air. Sometimes they can be very tiresome, and then I was caught."

"You didn't always stay with us and most of the time you were a loner."

"True, but I did spend time in the pack."

"Yes, but you're a wanderer at heart. Or at least you always were."

"I don't think I will be wandering for quite some time."

"Not until you have healed, and bond with someone."

"Not if she doesn't want me." He objected. Daiki snickered before looking up at Kagome who was now awake.

"Hello there my name is Daiki, how are you this morning?" he said politely. Kagome took deep breathes as she stared with wide eyes at him. "Did I do something?" he asked, looking at Inuyasha.

"Kagome, this is Dai. A good friend of mine." He said as Kikyo woke and looked at Daiki.

"Hello, I do not bite." Then he tilted his head as if thinking about it. "Most of the time." Kikyo held Kagome close and eyed Daiki with distrust.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"I saw guards leave and looked over here then smelled familiar scent, felt slightly guilty and therefore made sure no guards came back." He said swishing his brown tail.

"What familiar scent?" she wondered how they could have missed something to bring the attention of this Starguide.

"I'm not telling a secret that is not mine to tell, as long as you stay here my pack and I will protect you." Daiki said before jumping through the waterfall and dashing back to his place on a hill with the pack outside. Kagome shuttered before crawling over to Inu and held him close.

"Don't worry, despite what rumors others have spread alphas are nearly always true to their word." He whispered to her as she held him, wondering why she wanted to hold him.

"Why did he tell me his name?" she asked as Kikyo turned her attention to breakfast.

"He knows that you will not use it to summon him or misuse him. Plus the fact that you have an aura around you that relaxes us." Inu added as she breathed in his scent, a mix of forest and some other scent that didn't seem quite so sweet but soothing still calmed her.

"How do you feel?" she asked him before realizing that his head is resting in her lap.

"I feel fine, what will we do now?" he asked in a louder voice.

"Good question, Myoga." Kikyo paused and took a deep breath. "He said that two riddles are with us that we need. Maybe we should see them, after breakfast though." Kagome watched Inuyasha sit up and then helped him as he moved to stand up. Rice and dried berries tasted good to them and erased there hunger. Koga handed a rolled up piece of paper to Kikyo and Kagome.

"What do you think they say?" Kagome asked quietly, looking at the scroll in her hands.

"Open them and then we can find out." Inuyasha said sensibly. Kikyo opened hers and read:

"'She who holds the dearest fate

must needs be a stronger state

loves full bloom will set all free

from lives untold truth will spring

one that fate has blessed with stone

find that which love has lost

for if not found then all is lost.'"

"What in the world does that mean?" Inuyasha asked, looking at Kikyo with his head tilted to the side. Kagome giggled. "Why are you laughing?" he then asked her.

"Nothing." She said before looking into her hands.

"'Death will set the warrior free

dove will conquer hawk

wolf will be no foe

to the dove who with stone will go

moon will descend to one

one that has no fear

will be one with fear of all

sun and moon will see

stars will guide for lack of sight

spell of blood will block thy way

but two will clear the path

that which is gone will be restored.'

Do I have to read the whole thing?" Kagome asked her cousin.

"No, I think I've had enough riddles for today. 'Death will set the warrior free', I think that means Myoga's death. 'Stars will guide for lack of sight', Starguides. I don't understand anything else." She sighed before looking at Inu. "Can you walk?"


	7. Chapter 7

Death will set the warrior free

dove will conquer hawk

wolf will be no foe

to the dove who with stone will go

moon will descend to one

one that has no fear

will be one with fear of all

sun and moon will see

stars will guide for lack of sight

spell of blood will block thy way

but two will clear the path

that which is gone will be restored.

Feel free to try and translate my riddles! Please do, I want to know what you think! XD

"I don't know, but I know we can't stay here." Inu said firmly.

"If we pack up the stuff, can you try?" Kikyo asked starting to pack as she spoke.

"I can try, but I don't know." He replied doubtfully. Koga gave him an encouraging look as he helped Kikyo.

"I'll help you." Kagome said when she finished packing.

"Okay." Inuyasha agreed. Kagome placed his left arm over her shoulders and her right arm around his back.

"On three, one, two, three." Inu rose with the help of Kagome, but his right leg would not bare his weight. "Uh oh." She said looking at his leg.

"Do I want to know?" Kikyo asked, not looking up from her task.

"Nope, I'll take care of it." Kagome said easing Inuyasha down so he would not hurt his leg further. Blood dripped from the soaked bandage as Kagome unbound Inu's leg. The thorn wounds had reopened and now bleed too much for Koga's liking, who had come over to check on his brother. He took a paste from a jar and coated Inu's leg with it until no blood leaked out of his wounds then bound it with a new bandage. "Why did it bleed so much?"

"Seth thorns do this." He said simply before picking up Kagome's bag and then one of Kikyo's. Inuyasha leaned on Kagome again to rise then to walk, but did not use his right leg as they walked through the waterfall. Daiki looked worried and asked a question with his eyes as Koga looked in them. A quick nod and the pack surrounded the group. "They want to help us." He said quietly as Kagome found a sandy colored male Starguide supporting Inuyasha as well.

"I'm Kazuhiko, but if you want to you can call me Kaz." He said smiling at her, but then looked confused.

"You can call me Kags." She said quietly when Inu gave her a quick rare small smile to encourage her.

"The one to my left that looks like me is my twin, only twins in Japan." Kaz said pointing to the only other sand colored one in the pack.

"There are more of you in other places?" Kagome asked, felling friendlier toward him.

"Yah, there are some islands that you humans don't live on that we have made our home. But we say they are up north, down south, way east, or way west. I'm an Eastern one so I wasn't born in Japan, but we keep it as the center point of our mental maps. It's just easier that way, fun thing though, never thought Inu would settle down or let himself get attached to a human after the incident." He seemed amused as Inu scowled at his last statement.

"What incident?" Kags asked innocently but Kaz seemed to become wary of the person walking between them and didn't answer. "Inu?"

"I am not telling you while this loud mouth is here, he may not know it but if he did everyone in the pack would." He looked at her and mouthed 'later' to her, she nodded. The rest of the morning was uneventful except for the fact that they took the long way down into a valley but the Red Mountains and every Starguide looked tense, Inu seemed slightly apprehensive.

"Let's stop here for today; we do not want to cross the valley in the dark. And only an idiot," Daiki paused, "or Inu would do it or attempt to."

"Does that mean he's an idiot?" Kaz'z twin asked and caught a nice cuff from Dai as he continued.

"No it means he simply knows how to avoid them and we will not risk going through the valley at night without his say so, which even then I would not allow it at this time."

"That's just a way to avoid telling them I'm hurt to that point so that they don't freak out about mikos and that kind of stuff, and he's also terrified of the valley at night." Inu murmured to Kagome before she and Kaz lowered him to the ground. Kaz didn't hear what he said.

"Have you really gone through the valley at night?" Kaz asked looking at the Halfling with awe.

"I know valley, you don't, so don't try anything." Inuyasha said simply.

"What's in the valley?" she asked, all the Starguides immediately gave them some room as if they didn't want to hear what Inu might say. Even Kaz went to help in a different way.

"Demons live in the valley." He said as if it was no big deal.

"Demons! They're real? I thought they didn't exist anymore." Kikyo exclaimed startling everyone.

"Oh they're real alright and some of them can be pretty nasty too. Believe it or not Kags this valley and beyond are all demon land. They live there and anyone who goes there is free for all." Dai said coming over with a grave expression.

"Why don't they come over here?" she asked with a pale face.

"It's too pure for the evilest so they can't come here but the rest simply don't like the fact that us Starguides are everywhere and if they do come here we kill them. But we don't bother with some of them unless they make a nuisance of themselves." Dai informed her before going to talk to a dark red brown Starguide.

"That's the beta of the pack." Inu said as Kagome took out some kind of dried meat from her bag.

"How do you know so much about them?" she asked, hoping that he didn't want to go with them to her surprise.

"I was in this pack before I was captured." He said simply watching her finger the strange meat. "And that is duck, if you're wondering."

"What were you?"

"I was the wandering beta, but he took my place most of the time since I would often wonder off to who knows were."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know, but I know what I might like to do."

"What?"

"You decide, I can't." Kagome wondered if he felt the pull like she did, or if he even wanted to have a bondsmate after this.

"Um, well…" she stuttered then blushed.

"Keep your mind where it belongs Kagome." Koga teased with a small smile. Kagome gasped before truly blushing scarlet.

"Koga! How could you even think that I could be thinking that!" she shouted before chasing the much faster Koga around in circles as everyone else, except Inu who smiled and held in chuckles, lay on the floor laughing. Then she stopped and so did Koga who chuckled softly at her bright red face.


	8. Chapter 8

Death will set the warrior free

dove will conquer hawk

wolf will be no foe

to the dove who with stone will go

moon will descend to one

one that has no fear

will be one with fear of all

sun and moon will see

stars will guide for lack of sight

spell of blood will block thy way

but two will clear the path

that which is gone will be restored.

Night had fallen and only Kagome was awake. The beta of the pack and Kaz's twin came over to sit by her. She kept her breathing even and made herself not panic.

"I think he likes you and would be your bondsmate if you asked him." the beta said looking at her.

"What?" she asked caught off guard by his words.

"Inu would if you asked him to, but not if you didn't."

"We Starguides have certain _don't go there or your dead_ rules that are not spoken that anger every one of us.

Don't rape or take a women or man against their will"

"Do all of you follow the unspoken rules?" she asked.

"No, only the very few ones that we call the Deli don't." he responded. (author laughing so hard she falls over, deli, really…) They were silent for a moment.

"My name is Kazrhiro but call me Kari." The sandy male said.

"I am Junichi but I am only called Juni." The beta said.

"I'm Kags, but you probably know that already." She answered.

"No, we don't tell others someone's name unless they allow us to. But sometimes we ignore that, yet it is common curtsy." Juni replied then stood up with Kari and left to stand watch.

"Inu?" she hesitantly whispered. "Are you awake?"

"I am know, what is Kags?" he asked her sitting up. The wounds on his back mostly healed so that he could lay on his back without to much pain.

"Do you want to have a bondsmate?" she asked quietly.

"Do you?"

"I need one, don't I?"

"Yes, but who do you want?"

"I-I-I, I want…" she started before taking a deep breath. "I would like you to be my bondsmate, but not if you don't want to be." He sat there for a moment.

"Kagome, will you come with me for a short walk?"

"Okay." She said with a sinking feeling, he was serious, very serious. He led her out of the circle were the two guards didn't pay them much attention.

"I have to tell you something, something only my brother and I know. I am a hanyo." He said, then waited for her reply. She simply stood there for a moment. "My mother was a Starguide and my father was a demon Lord of the Western lands."

"So?" she said slowly looking at him as if this was no big thing.

"Do you still want me?" he looked deep in her eyes, hoping and wishing.

"Yeah, I didn't care before, why would I care now? I grew up with my father and mother in a place that demons normally attacked, or at least, weaker ones."

"Do you know how to bind us together?" he then asked her.

"No."

"Place two fingers on my neck here then just let instinct take over and if I'm right for you then you will mark me and we will be bondsmates." He said placing two fingers on his neck were it wasn't quite the back but not the side either.

"Okay." She said as he knelt in front of her so she could do it easier since he is over half a foot taller then her. Placing her pointer and middle finger were he had indicated she closed her eyes then gasped. Power pulsed in a steady current underneath her fingertips. Inu wanted to ask what was wrong but found that he could not move or speak. He could only listen to a strange music that seemed to be coming from between them. The strange thing was to her that this pulse sped up even though his breathing did not. A sweet and bitter taste flooded her mouth as they were surrounded by a light blue mist. Stars and suns danced around them before a moon came, but it did not come from just anywhere. It bloomed from her fingertips and stayed on Inu's skin. A tingling sensation coursed through her and she felt her knees buckle as the mist faded. Both fell to the ground as their strength left them and blackness filled their vision.

Kari and Juni waited for them to come back.

"They've been gone for over an hour." Kari said, concern written in his features.

"She asked him to be her bondsmate, but as far as I know it doesn't affect any Sun miko and her Starguide so something must have happened." Juni agreed.

"I will look for them." A voice said making them freeze; Dai loped past them into the night.

"I hope demons haven't gotten them." Kari said.

Daiki followed the scent of a distressed Inu and confused Kags. It went up the ridge to a large cave were demons would not follow. Dai smiled as the scent became stronger then frowned. Inu always surprised him when he didn't want him to know what he had been talking about. Having heard Inu saying that he had something to tell her he slowed down before entering. He stared in astonishment at what he saw. Inu was underneath Kags who lay on top of him. The two looked as if they had simply collapsed.

"Inu, Kags." He whispered urgently kneeling by them. A glowing symbol caught his attention and Daiki brushed some of Inu's soft silver hair away from his neck. A crescent moon burned blue for a moment before fading so that only a light blue moon stood out on his skin. "Impossible." He breathed looking at the mark, but no matter how many times he blinked it still remained.

"Dai?" Koga, who had followed without the guards or him noticing came out of the shadows.

"He's, marked." Dai said, still in shock.

"So, isn't that a good thing?"

"Yes, but the maek (what they call a mark of the moon or sun), it is of a moon." He said dumbly.

"She is a moon miko?" Koga gasped in astonishment.

"Yes, but look. The sun remains so that she can grow stronger and protect her bondsmate for a time by making him a lose end."

"What should we do?"

"Let them rest. My grandfather was bound to a moon miko and he said that it took a day for them to regain their strength. But it isn't unusual for any bonding to take some strength out of them. If it weakens the miko it means that her bound is strong and the same is true for us so we cane just say that they are tired if we can get them to walk soon." Dai suddenly looked many decades older (or five years in looks, but they age much slower then humans do :-P ) and placed a hand over his face.

"Dai, you must remember that their strength is the others and that we can pass it off as a lack of sleep and tell them that Inu is injured."

"But then they will doubt him and we need everyone to cross the valley so we can get to the only other place for mikos." Dai protested, but then sighed and agreed with Koga. "Very well, but I will need your support in this otherwise the pack and I will not go with you."

"I know and you can only come with us part of the way as well, only to the fowthili."

"Yes, only until the foothills."


	9. Chapter 9

Death will set the warrior free

dove will conquer hawk

wolf will be no foe

to the dove who with stone will go

moon will descend to one

one that has no fear

will be one with fear of all

sun and moon will see

stars will guide for lack of sight

spell of blood will block thy way

but two will clear the path

that which is gone will be restored.

Inuyasha blinked in the early morning light. For a moment not a memory graced him, but then the events of last night came into his mind. Kagome lay onto of him. Wanting to sit up he tried but then almost cried out in pain. His entire body felt as if he had been savagely beaten and his skin would be black and blue from it as well as raw and red tinged from lashes. He also felt as if he should be laying a pool of his own blood from several wounds. Taking a shallow breathe he wondered why he felt this way.

"Inu?" Kags moaned opening her eyes.

"Hey Kags, how do you feel?" he whispered feeling as if his throat was on fire.

"Not very good." She whispered not moving.

"Let's get some sleep." Inu suggested and she agreed by closing her tired eyes. He closed his too and fell back into the void of sleep.

"Inu and Kags have bonded, but they are very tired so do not disturb them or I will have your tails for breakfast." Dai announced and finished with a stern look. Excitement charged the air as they all looked at each other. Several, all, of them had wondered if they would become bondsmates.

"Would you like us to hunt before we go back to the valley and bring back some fresh mina (fresh meat) for him?" Juni asked calmly even though in his heart he felt relived that the two were okay.

"Yes, that is what we all will do before we cross the valley tomorrow." Dai said with approval. The pack ran and soon was gone, except for Daiki.

"Did something go wrong?" Kikyo asked; dread coiling in her stomach as she thought of what might have happened.

"No, but she is…" Dai hesitated.

"A moon miko." Koga finished for him.

"Moon miko? But don't they need special nourishment, what if someone who wants to use her finds out? Then what?" Kikyo felt like she might faint. Koga wrapped his arms around her and blew into her hair.

"Only we know, Dai tracked them. Inu is good at hiding his tracks when he doesn't want someone to intrude and he might have thought something would happen or that she would refuse him and he would want to be alone so no demon will harm them." He said.

"But those with the moon always need more time to bond and to recover then Sun mikos." She said leaning into Koga.

"What do you know about their bonding?" Dai asked suddenly attentive.

"Only what Naru wrote and he must hold some grudge against me. It is all in a riddle." Kikyo said annoyed.

"Do you remember what it said?" he asked urgently.

"Yeah but not what it means,

'Moon with star will bind

blood will tell if trust will tie

longest time for rest and peace

find what cannot be hidden

give rest to a soul and heal the body.'"

"So, what aren't you saying?" Koga asked her.

"Blood will heal what cannot be won." She said quietly.

"Do you know what that means?" Dai said, hiding a smile.

"That they need to kill someone."

"No, not even close. It simply means that they need a child's diet for a while, funny thing though, we don't usually follow that diet even as kids." He said.

"What do you mean?" Kikyo asked looking up at him with a sad face.

"They just need to drink a little blood, sar'ni _(exclamation that has no direct translation but means something shortened to 'kimi _' we do not know the second word. When I questioned Daiki about this he turned red and muttered something about his pack before taking off. Inuyasha just laughed until his sides hurt and he started, oh well, that's for later)_, what do they teach you these days." He said shaking his head.

"I thought that was just a myth."

"No, but we rarely do drink blood unless we hunt but then it is usually ulna, or wild game as you humans say." He said amused.

"What will they need to drink in order to recover a.s.a.p."

"Human blood will be the fastest but we will only give them deer blood since it is the mildest and easiest for human's to drink." Dai said looking up as Juni loped in with a large buck and smaller doe.

"Is this good?" he asked before biting the doe's neck and drinking some blood.

"Yes, you may not want to see Inu eat the buck." Dai said before turning and saying the last to Kikyo.

"I will come with you." She said stubbornly.

"Very well, but I did warn you." Koga picked up his bondsmate bridal style and followed Dai who carried to large buck with ease.

"That must weigh a lot." She whispered to him.

"As the alpha of the pack he needs to be able to care for others when they are injured and unable to hunt or defend themselves." He explained to her. They traveled a short distance before Dai slowed down and paused before Koga joined him at the entrance. They entered together and both put down what they had been carrying. Inuyasha lay on his back breathing shallowly. Kagome lay across him and if they didn't look so exhausted Kikyo would have smiled at how close they are. Inuyasha's nose twitched and Kagome opened her eyes just after he did. Dai knelt by Inu and placed two fingers on his neck then frowned.

"Are you feeling halfway decent?" he asked softly, Inu blinked before answering.

"I have felt worse." He said hoarsely, though both could tell that he was in a massive amount of pain. Dai took a bowl that seemed to appear out of thin air and turned to the buck. Inu smelt the blood before his friend turned around with the bowl.

"We do her first, then it will be easier." He said as Kikyo supported her cousin and held her firmly against her as he brought the bowl to her lips. To his surprise she drank without a single struggle and drained it twice more before he turned to Koga who held Inu up. Dai felt worried, he had never seen him this weak or in this much pain. Hoping that he would be fine Dai lifted the bowl to his lips and felt relief when Inu drank the contents. After the fifth time Koga watched as Dai ripped some of the softest and most tender meat off of the buck and tried to get Inuyasha to eat it. Kikyo tucked Kagome into bed before turning to find him finally eating some of the offered meat. Dai then picked up his friend and put him down by Kagome before throwing a blanket over his thin frame and brushing some silver hair out of his eyes tenderly. An hour had passed and they sat in a semi-circle watching them sleep.

"How is he?" Kikyo finally asked after opening her mouth several times.

"Very weak, but he will recover if given the proper amount of time and if he eats more. He looks as if he's been left to being fed by one of Naroku's guards." Dai replied.

"He was until two days ago." Kikyo said, Koga had lapsed into his usual silence.

"Were you left to their mercy as well?" Dai asked Koga. He nodded.

"Since Naroku took over when his mother died and pushed his father away things have not been well. He looks twenty but because of the Starguides he and his father are really much older. He breaks spirits and kills lots of you…" she trailed off, looking at the two sleeping and dread filled her as she thought of what might of happened to them.

"He is much stronger though, and she is happier, I think." Dai said looking at Inu and tracing the hollows of his face that he had never seen before. It was then that he truly saw what it had done to him. His lean strong now to thin and weak from the beating and lack of food, his face looked older and sadder then it had and he smelled of blood instead of forest and the other scent he could never identify but had never asked about. Dai had seen how much this human cared for him and felt as if Inu was finally happy with her, even if he was very weak and in pain. It made him smile to see Inu smile one of his rare smiles that he truly felt around her. Even before his friend had almost never smiled, and now, she was slowly healing his heart.


	10. Moon

Death will set the warrior free

dove will conquer hawk

wolf will be no foe

to the dove who with stone will go

moon will descend to one

one that has no fear

will be one with fear of all

sun and moon will see

stars will guide for lack of sight

spell of blood will block thy way

but two will clear the path

that which is gone will be restored.

Near lunch Inu opened his eyes. Kagome had been awake for over an hour and everyone was starting to worry when he didn't wake with her. His head was in Kagome's lap as she wrinkled her nose at the bowl of blood that Koga offered her.

"Why blood?" she asked, and to Inu's relief she seemed almost back to normal.

"If I knew that then I would be very wise." Dai called over his shoulder.

"Okay." She reluctantly said before closing her eyes tight and drinking it. To her disgust it didn't taste half bad. Dai had said that she might get some habits or something from being bonded to Inu. As soon as the bowl was empty she gave it back to Koga. "Does Inu like the taste of blood?" she asked absentmindedly fingering the tips of his near black hair (reminder, he really should take a bath).

"It isn't that bad but not my favorite." He answered her.

"You should take a bath." Dai said before Koga and Kikyo took Kagome into a small cave in the back of this one. Dai picked up Inu and took him to a different opening when he had found a natural spring. After finding it he had brought a large tub up and warmed it before poring in the cool water. A slight haze of steam drifted off the water and it made Inu's body ache just looking at it. Naroku had often poured boiling water over his bare body and laughed, the days were his skin blistered and peeled off made him shutter. Dai purred in his chest to sooth him and it worked, a little. Dai then helped Inu out of the filthy clothing and took off the bandages before helping him into the basin. The water was just perfect. Warm and clear it made Inu purr and relax in bliss. "If you need me just bark." Dai said before walking out of the room. Inu scrubbed off two years of grime and blood. His skin very pale now since he had not been in the sunlight for all of that time, but he found that his skin looked healthier then it had before. Ducking his head under the water he washed out lots of dirt and blood so that his silver hair gleamed in the candle light that Dai had lit for him. The water in which he bathed had turned a strange brownish black color so he slowly hauled himself out before splashing himself with the cool spring water. Shivering he looked for any clothing that he could put on and found that Dai had placed a towel and new set of clothing for him near the pool. After drying himself off he put on the clothes with his numb hands then sat in front of the candle for a while. After a few minutes he was able to stop shivering before Dai came in with a blanket. "Lunch time, you really need to eat. Your leg is fine now and you look okay but a stick is fatter than you are!" he exclaimed wrapping him up in the soft gray blanket and carrying him into the main chamber. Kagome's hair looked slightly wet and she also had a blanket around her. The demons in the valley did not like to go this high since it could get very cold very quickly as it had just done so right now. Inuyasha watched her as Kikyo showed her various herbs and talked about them. Koga had finished off the buck over an hour before and now a fresh doe lay waiting for him. He felt his fangs leak some venom at the scent and looked at it when Dai sat down with him and Koga positioned the doe so that it would be easier for him to eat. Dai let him go before Inuyasha knelt in front of the doe and left with Koga to talk to Kagome and keep her attention away from her bondsmate as he fed off the blood and flesh of the doe. Inu tilted its head back before leaning down and clamping his fangs down on the dead doe's neck. Smooth warm blood flowed into his mouth and he drank eagerly. He knew that the bowl had an herb in it that made Starguides sleepy so the untainted blood tasted much better. Soon no blood flowed, even though he pushed a clawed hand on the deer's stomach to see if that would push any remaining blood to the opening, so he quickly devoured the neck and some of the doe's shoulder until he could no longer eat. He sat up and ran a tongue across his teeth before making sure with his tongue that no blood was on his face. He heard Kagome's panicked breathing and mentally cursed himself as his predatory instinct and manner faded. He closed his eyes and counted to five before opening them and turning around.

"What's wrong Kagome?" Kikyo asked holding her cousin. "Did Inu scare you by the way he was eating or was it something else?"

"I felt as if I was drink and breathing at the same time." She said before Inu crawled over and held her close, for some reason he didn't quite understand he felt protective.

"Ah," Dai said understanding flooded his face, "he was drinking and breathing like we all do when we feed off of blood and you felt that. It will last for the rest of the day then you will not be able to feel it as strongly." He reassured her as she leaned into her bondsmate. The others left soon so that they would have some time to bond with each other. They sat in silence for a while though until Kagome broke the silence.

"Can you really drink and breathe at the same time?" she asked timidly.

"Yes, we can which is how we can consume massive amounts of blood and not need to feed on blood for a long time. Starguides mostly eat fresh meat or plants. But we don't kill without reason." He told her, and then she thought of something.

"Inu?"

"Yes?"

"What is your real name?"


	11. Demon Land

Death will set the warrior free

dove will conquer hawk

wolf will be no foe

to the dove who with stone will go

moon will descend to one

one that has no fear

will be one with fear of all

sun and moon will see

stars will guide for lack of sight

spell of blood will block thy way

but two will clear the path

that which is gone will be restored.

They started through the valley at dawn. Inuyasha in the lead with everyone else behind him mumbling something about him or the valley. They were jumpy and the noon high sun didn't help in the valley since it was really hot there. Kagome was really glad that her bondsmate had gained most of his strength overnight, Dai had told him that he healed as fast as a young demon in a joking voice, but Inu's laugh had been strained. No one had noticed it but both were glad when the other side of the valley came into sight. Everyone picked up their pace and soon just as the sun was setting they were at the other end and Daiki said goodbye. Kagome felt mixed feeling of relief and sorrow as he and his pack started to run to the east so that they could make it back to their own territory in two days or less. Inuyasha and Koga howled a farewell and Kikyo laughed when Kagome jumped as the two harmonizing notes were answered by the packs, Daiki could clearly be heard even among the others as his note harmonized with Inuyasha's in melody of an unknown song. Kagome and Kikyo stood silently by their bondsmates wishing that they understood the meaning within the sound. (A/N, fyi when Starguides howl it often sounds like a song, but keep reading to find out more about them XD!). When the last sounds faded away Koga turned and stood by Kikyo, his body language screaming protective and dangerous, and looked at the direction they were heading. Inuyasha walked over to Kagome and looked deep into her eyes, she felt her heart skip a beat and was unsure why, and then he looked at the path that other had taken on their way to their destination.

"I don't think that we should go the way that you humans usually go." He said as he looked at the trees near the path. They had gone through a valley and now onto a forest. His protective instinct screamed at him not to go near those trees, but to go any other way.

"Why?" Kikyo asked, not knowing that he had been on this side of the valley before.

"I don't know, but my instincts say that we will likely die if we go that way." He calmly replied to her unsure face.

"But I heard that that road has never been attacked before." She protested and turning started walking towards it.

"Mistress, Inu may know more than we do about this place." Koga said as he started after her.

"I do. How I will not say but those who say that that road has never been attacked are fools and do not know about the demon Lords." He said as he sat down with Kagome who promptly began to unwrap his leg.

"Demon Lords?" Kikyo asked turning around with a skeptical look on her face.

"Yep," he said before hissing as Kagome pushed on one of the few marks left.

"Oh, and who are they?" she asked as her cousin dabbed something on his mostly healed leg.

"Which one, The Lord of the North, East, South, or West?" he asked ignoring the pain that spiked suddenly when a rock flew out of nowhere to hit it. A small rock, but it still was a rock.

"I don't know, whose territory are we going through?" she asked as she reluctantly was pushed towards Inu by Koga.

"We will be in the corner of the eastern one before crossing into western territory." He replied as Kagome finished bandaging his leg.

"How much do you know about this place?" Kikyo asked suddenly unsure if she could trust him.

"I was born here but when my father died when I was five my mother took me across the eastern lands and across the valley to live with Dai's pack, but it was his father's when I first joined. Mom died two years later and I went back to the western lands for five more years before returning to Dai's pack and then four years later I was captured and then one year after that I met you." He said in a bored tone, but really he just didn't know how she would take it.

"What were the names of your parents?" Kikyo asked, Koga looked at her in horror.

"That information is not something that I will willingly tell you or any other person." Inu said in disbelief, only the bondsmate of a Starguide would learn that information if they were ever told.

"Kikyo." Koga said, his tone telling her something that Kagome wasn't able to decode. Kikyo then whispered something to Koga would simply looked deep into her eyes before lying down and closing his eyes to sleep. After sending a scary glare at Inu she lied down and fell asleep.

"That could have been worse." Inu said as Kagome took out four blankets and gave two to Koga, who wasn't asleep, and one to Inuyasha. Koga placed one over his bondsmate and the other over himself before going to sleep.

"Kikyo doesn't trust you." Kagome said quietly as Inu started a small fire.

"Not a lot of people ever did." He said quietly, but there was something on his mind, something that scared him. "What if she finds out about my blood?" he said stirring the small fire in the dirt.

"Why will that matter?" Kagome asked, Inu blinked in surprise.

"Then she will only trust me how far she can throw me." He said with a dark chuckle. "But if she doesn't trust me then she will go to places that are filled with demons and some other nasty stuff." he said since he didn't really care for Kikyo, but he did like Koga and didn't want him to get hurt (not something that you would find in any other story). Kagome smiled as she felt the strong feeling of care for Koga pass through her before frowning, she could never rise high enough in his sight to have him care for her like that. Inu suddenly looked into the trees, not liking what his nose was telling him. Why did the world hate him so much? He asked himself before going to bed, Kagome did likewise.


	12. Sango

Death will set the warrior free

dove will conquer hawk

wolf will be no foe

to the dove who with stone will go

moon will descend to one

one that has no fear

will be one with fear of all

sun and moon will see

stars will guide for lack of sight

spell of blood will block thy way

but two will clear the path

that which is gone will be restored.

That morning Kagome was startled into the world by a large boomerang hitting the ground by her head. She quickly sat up, no longer anywhere near sleepy.

"Missed!" someone said in disappointment, the voice sounded feminine but how in the world would any living being be able to throw that thing and hit something? Kagome stood up and saw a human dressed in a strange pink and black armored outfit with her long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"What is going on?" Kagome shouted to her, the other woman caught the boomerang sliding back at least five feet before answering.

"Don't you see the demon?" she asked hurtling her large weapon at a streak of silvery white, Inuyasha.

"Wait, he won't hurt you!" Kagome called to her as she launched the weapon towards him, who was able to dodge it, but not the five short knifes she threw after it.

"Ahhh!" he cried out in pain as they sank into his leg, arm, and side before falling to the ground. Kagome ran and stood in front of him with her arms outstretched as the woman came towards them.

"Why are you protecting him?" she asked as she kept walking towards them.

"He's my Starguide." Kagome said not moving.

"No, he's a demon."

"Only half-demon." Kagome corrected, she heard Inuyasha yank out a knife from his arm with a quiet moan of pain and stand up.

"Then how can he be a Starguide, they don't mix." The woman said, Kagome pulled Inuyasha down and exposed his neck. He immediately panicked, but after Kagome flicked his ear he calmed down (a/n, a Starguides ear is very sensitive). The woman came close enough to see the sparkly moon on his neck and could mistake it for nothing other than a mark, but not any mark. And then she noticed that he looked an offal lot like someone she knew. "Okay, he is yours and I apologize for attacking and injuring him." she said touching the blue crescent moon with her finger.

"I'm Kagome and this is Inu, we're going, were are we going?" Kagome asked Inuyasha as he stood up.

"The only other place that mikos go, I thought that I made that clear." He said growling at the other woman as he removed another knife.

"Starlight Valley? I'm going there to, why don't we all go together?" she said, before grabbing the three remaining knives and pulling them out. "My name is Sango. I'm a demon slayer, but my village was slaughtered so I'm meeting my younger brother at Starlight Valley." It was this time that Inu didn't choice to faint from lack of blood and from surprise. Sango caught him and laid him down on the ground so that Kagome could treat his wounds. After she was done Kagome looked up and around. "Are you looking for someone?" Sango asked her.

"My cousin Kikyo and her Starguide were here with us, did you see them?" Kagome asked standing up and looking towards the forest.

"You don't think that they took _that_ road, do you?" Sango asked with a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"I do." Kagome said, confirming Sango's fear.

"There's a group of demons that rob that road and kill whoever they rob or encounter, you need a large group to get through there unscathed." She said picking up her boomerang that was resting on the ground.

"Could you find and help them?" Kagome asked hopefully.

"Maybe, but this is more of a job for a group of demon slayers. Can you use any weapons?"

"No, I never learned but I did learn how to heal people."

"I'll go in and see if I can do anything for them." Sango ran off leaving Kagome frowning and wondering why they had gone on without her and her guide. Inu moaned, opening his eyes and focusing on her.

"Why did she have to be an exterminator?" he asked sitting up and going to stand. Kagome stopped him with a hand but he pulled both of them up to her surprise and started towards the forest pathway.

"But what can we do?" Kagome asked following him with her stuff.

"I can kill demons." He said waiting for her to catch up.

"Okay, but I think that Sango seems like she can handle herself out here."

"So can we."

"I can't."

"But I can, and I can protect you." He said as he ducked, pulling Kagome to the ground as a large head came towards them knocking down the tree behind them.

"And apparently so can she." Kagome said looking at the large one eyed head behind them. Then they came across Koga and Sango fighting side by side. "Where's Kikyo?" Kagome asked looking for her cousin as Inuyasha joined the fight taking one apart with an ease that scared her, but not as much as her cousins body. The three soon got rid of the demons and retuned to Kikyo. Koga knelt by her head and gently brushed a strand of hair from her pale face. Everyone was quiet, few Starguides were known for outliving their mikos or in rare cases, priests.

"She wouldn't want me to die with her." He said quietly looking at her peaceful face. "So I wont, I will live." Inuyasha laid a hand on his shoulder, Koga placed his own on his and they simply were there. Sango took a shovel and started to dig a hole by the side of the road. Kagome looked at the spot that she had chose, it was pretty and quiet. Out of the way so that no one would disturb it, but close enough that if they passed by they could pay their respects to Kikyo. Picking up another shovel that Sango had in her pack she helped the demon slayer hoping that Koga could deal with the pain of losing his bondsmate.


	13. Pain like death

Death will set the warrior free

dove will conquer hawk

wolf will be no foe

to the dove who with stone will go

moon will descend to one

one that has no fear

will be one with fear of all

sun and moon will see

stars will guide for lack of sight

spell of blood will block thy way

but two will clear the path

that which is gone will be restored.

_**WARNING SAD PART BELOW, BUT I THINK THAT IT IS NEEDED.**_

Koga stood by the freshly turned earth and thought about the line 'death will set the warrior free'. How could death set anyone free if it brought such pain, he asked himself. He placed a clawed hand on his chest and felt his heart beating; there was the strange pain of loosing another pulsing through him. Kikyo had been more than a companion; she had been a friend, a healer and had felt like his soul mate. His yaw, his other half. Koga took a deep breath and tilted his head back. He could smell the blood of the demons that had killed her, and her own. The scene of one hitting her and sending her into the ground played in his mind again. He had screamed his furry and fought harder to protect her, but in vain. He had felt her die when the demon touched her, when he had killed her. She had looked so peaceful in death, more so then when she had been alive. Why had he let her persuade him to go through the forest without Inu and Kagome? Koga felt his soul scream in agony at the loneliness of the lone Starguide after his bondsmate is killed, and felt the wound bleed again in his soul as her face flashed across his vision. His body felt no pain, the wounds of his body were not to bad and Kagome had already tended them. Inu had not been scratched so he was just resting while Sango and Kagome talked to each other. Koga sat down and watched a bird as it flew down to land on the large stone that was at the head of the grave. He growled when it pecked scaring it off. His ear twitched when he felt someone approaching, light hesitant footsteps stopped behind him. Koga ignored the person behind him as another wave of pain crashed through him almost stopping his heart with its ferocity. A soft pair of arms wound themselves around him and drew him into a hug, brushing of the pain and letting sorrow take its place. Tears fell from his rescuers face as he lay in her arms. Hoping that the pain would not kill him because his friends needed him Koga drifted off to sleep. Kagome felt Koga relax in her arms and called Inu over to carry the too heavy Starguide to the campfire just off of the road. Inu lifted Koga and carried him over to the bed the women had made. Gently he laid his brother down to rest and made sure the blankets were warm enough for him. Sango watched as he sat down by Kagome who leaned against him.

"He really misses her." Sango stated, not quite understanding the depth of the pain that Koga was in.

"A Starguide often dies soon after his or her Mistress." Inu said simply.

"That's why one that's miko has died and that lives is so unusual. The pain of losing their bondsmate runs deep within them, it touches their soul and often the pain is so great that it stops their heart." Inu said holding Kagome tighter.

"I hope that he lives through it, he seems so dull and sad." Sango said with pain on her own face.

"She was a part of him. She saved his life. That is not something that you forget very easily."

"She saved his life?"

"Yes, he was barely alive when she was drawn to him. She nursed him back to health and they have been together for how long?"

"Two years." Kagome answered her bondsmates question.

"No wonder he's so depressed." Sango exclaimed looking at Koga's sleeping body. They were quiet for a moment before Sango laid down to sleep. Inuyasha drew the scent of his bondsmate deep into his memory and hoped that he would die before going through what his brother was going through.

"Time for sleep, Inuyasha." Kagome said as he made no sign of letting her go. He released her reluctantly and waited till she was asleep before going to bed himself but slept with his back to a tree instead of sleeping lying down.

The next day they traveled with Koga in the middle of them everyone except for Inu, who was in the lead, could keep an eye on him. In five days they could stop looking at him and were across the eastern land. As Koga looked down the path he and Inu heard something, a large sound and as soon as they rounded the corner they saw what it was. A man, monk of some sort dressed in purple and black, was being swarmed by demons. Koga, Sango, and Inuyasha immediately rushed to his aid and cut down the many demons in a matter of minutes. Koga started to move on but stopped when the man didn't move.


	14. Miroku

Death will set the warrior free

dove will conquer hawk

wolf will be no foe

to the dove who with stone will go

moon will descend to one

one that has no fear

will be one with fear of all

sun and moon will see

stars will guide for lack of sight

spell of blood will block thy way

but two will clear the path

that which is gone will be restored.

The fire burned low as Inuyasha sat watching the forest and listening. The man was lying by the fire and had not woken up. But wasn't what kept him up, he could hear his brother calling him to come. The long note of his howl hung in the air, filled with longing. Looking at Kagome he stayed quiet, demons could kill her easily. The man stirred and drew the hanyos gaze to him as he opened his eyes.

"Demon!" he called out in alarm, but it was simply a croak but that croak woke up Koga and Sango who were both light sleepers.

"Where?" Sango asked with one hand on her boomerang. He pointed at Inuyasha. "That's a Starguide you nitwit." She said crossly before sitting up and sighing. "I won't be able to fall asleep again for a while now so why don't you tell us about yourself." Koga looked at her with a raised eyebrow and gave a cup of water to the stranger. "After you drink some water..."

"My name is Miroku, I'm a monk from the northwest sun temple." he said after drinking, Inuyasha had woken up Kagome while he did so, so that she could hear him. "I traveled south to visit my friend Lady Kaede and her adopted son Shippo but had to go the east way instead of the usual west way and traveled to far so now I have to go north and west to the Sun temple."

"We are going north, you can travel with us." Sango said annoying Inu and Koga who didn't really like him.

"The more people the safer the travel." He simply said before laying back down. "I still feel some demon energy, though, but maybe I'm just tired." He muttered to himself falling asleep quickly. Sango then ignored everyone else and went back to sleep quickly to the astonishment of the remaining party. Koga looked at Inu before shrugging and falling back to sleep much more slowly then Sango had. After his breathing told Inuyasha that he was asleep he looked at Kagome. She didn't like the worry in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" She asked quietly leaning against him.

"He senses my demon energy." He said quietly.

"If we don't tell him anything then you will be safe." She said liking the warmth that he provided.

"I don't think that we will be able to keep him in the dark."

"We will, but is that all that's bothering you?" she asked him. He did not answer for so long that she didn't think that he would answer. She decided to see if she could feel what was bothering him, the overwhelming senses that had first overwhelmed her were gone and she no longer really felt what he was feeling so she now had to focus to find what was bothering him. But it wasn't really necessary.

"My brother, he knows I'm here and he's calling for me." He said softly as they both heard a long lone howl from somewhere farther in the Western Lands. She felt the conflict in him now, how he wanted to see his brother and how he could never leave her.


	15. Meet The Flea

Death will set the warrior free

dove will conquer hawk

wolf will be no foe

to the dove who with stone will go

moon will descend to one

one that has no fear

will be one with fear of all

sun and moon will see

stars will guide for lack of sight

spell of blood will block thy way

but two will clear the path

that which is gone will be restored.

Inuyasha got very little sleep that night and after a brief breakfast they were soon on their way. Sango noticed that Kagome was very thoughtful and that Inu was farther apart than he had been since he had met him. Since he had been so protective of his Miko she hadn't been able to introduce herself properly. She sped up and placed herself on the side opposite from that of the Starguide. Kagome smiled at her as she matched her pace.

"We haven't had a chance to talk or properly introduce ourselves. I'm Sango the last slayer of my village of demonslayers since they were all slaughtered last year, but I was not there so I don't know who did it." After this Inu and Koga watched as the two became instant friends.

"How do women do that? One minute they meet each other, the next they are best friends and like sisters!" Koga whispered to Inuyasha who shrugged.

"They're women." Miroku said, "They do many strange and marvelous things that we men do not understand." Both Starguides looked at him for a while before turning away to watch the two females start running. Inu and Koga started after them very quickly leaving Miroku in the dust to catch up, as he called for them to wait up Koga did something very strange as a sweet scent hit his nose. He passed out. Inuyasha passed out as well when he smelt it and the humans were just fine.

"Inu!" Kagome called and ran over to him with Sango right beside her. Miroku was underneath both Starguides and even though Inu was light Koga, was heavy how the two accomplished this they would never know.

"What happened?" Sango asked clearly worried.

"I'm not sure, one minute they were talking with me and the next they were on top of me!" Miroku complained before finally getting out from underneath the two.

"Must be Rensyo, it's a herb that's deadly to Starguides." Sango said before picking up Koga with a grunt. When Sango said this Kagome started to panic. "Calm down, we just need to go back a ways and hope that-" Sango stopped speaking as a wind started to blow towards them.

"That's not good." Miroku said.

"We need to carry them through the patch of Rensyo at a run." Sango said taking Koga and putting him over his shoulders before taking off at a run. Miroku did the same to Inu and began to run with Kagome right behind him. It took them five minutes to clear the patch and five more to get far enough away from the scent to wake up the two Starguides. After they woke up they rested for five more minutes then set off on their way. They traveled for three more days before they reached the Starlight Valley. Koga and Inu talked for a moment with each other before coming to some sort of conclusion. Inu then stood slightly behind Kagome as they looked into the valley.

"So, are we splitting up now?" Kagome asked Sango and Miroku.

"That depends on your destination." A voice said and to everyone's surprise Inu clapped his hands together and then they heard a "nice to see you to Master Inu." Inu glared at whoever was on his hand then they saw a flat flea demon.

"Why is that demon calling you master?" Miroku asked, but when Inu shoot a glare at him he was pinned in place with fear. He saw that his irises were circled with a thin rim of red, answering his question. Kagome noticed Miroku's fear and looked at Inu. He looked as if he wanted to tear Miroku apart, she laid a hand on his arm and let her calmness sink into him. Miroku didn't miss that either, he was so confused. "You're a demon, aren't you, then why did she say that you were a Starguide, unless you were trying to deceive me-"

"-I am a half demon half Starguide so stop looking at me like I'm going to rip you to shreds." Inu said irritably.

"Yes, the second son of the great dog demon Inutashio." The flea said and Inu sent it a withering glare. Kagome sensed that this was not a discussion that Inu wanted to be having.

"We should be going; we don't know what is going on around here." Inu said squishing the flea again and ignoring him before turning to Kagome. "Were do you want to go?" he asked her.

"Somewhere that I can learn to control my powers and be safe." She said then noticed that Miroku had fallen over onto his back. "Is he okay?" she asked Inu.

"He knows exactly who my father is, but we are going to the nearest Sun shrine. I know someone who is an excellent teacher and it is out of the way so only minor demons attack it." Inu replied and they started walking off. Sango thought for a moment then started after them.

"This is far to interesting to miss, plus Kagome is my friend so I'm coming with you and you can't stop me." She declared and Kagome almost heard him sigh, but she couldn't help but feel the fact that he knew that he felt like he was going to regret this. The village that he took them to wasn't to far away and it was small, but clean and well kept. Inu kept a step back from them and watched. An old lady came out and seemed displeased to see Inu who shifted his weight, Kagome could feel the reluctance to speak to the old lady in him and so she looked the old lady in the eye.

"Hello, I'm Kagome and this is Sango and this is my Starguide Inu." She said, the old women searched them.

"Why do ye come here?" She asked them.

"Inu said that someone here was a really good teacher so we came, though, personally I'm just here because this promises to be entertaining." Sango said confidently.

"Aye don't know about a good teacher, but I could teach ye." The old woman said, softening towards them. "Your Starguide is not a hanyo, is he?" she asked, Kagome nodded looking at Inu who seemed to wish that he was anywhere but here.

"Well now that that's settled can Inu can do something besides wish that he was somewhere else." Sango said surprising Kagome who looked nervous, Inu immediately looked worriedly at Kagome.

"That would not be a good thing Slayer, for Bondsmates that stay together get stronger, and those who stay apart grow weaker." The old women said and hobbled off with Inu and Kagome following, Sango thought that over and remember Koga. She looked around and saw him in a huge tree that grew near the village. He still seemed sad, she wondered what it would feel like to lose someone that close to her and felt a little bit of what he was feeling.

"I hope he gets over it fast, it doesn't help dwelling on it." She muttered to herself.


End file.
